How can a school implement restorative justice as both policy and culture? YouthBuild Charter first trained its staff in restorative justice five years ago to promote a culture of care and combat the school-to-prison pipeline. Since that time, the school has been challenged to consistently implement all components of restorative justice. In this workshop, a teacher, students, and assistant principal will share a participatory action model to engage student voice, increase academic ability, and change school policy. English teachers Crystal Maillet and Matt Crehan adopted restorative justice as the theme of an English course. Students researched restorative practices, developed workshops for staff and students, made policy recommendations to the school, and presented their work at education conferences. Workshop participants will learn how participation action promotes democratic school change.
